Chat with Chic, June 5, 1987

Chat with Chic A Report from Washington FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 5, 1987 CHAT WITH CHIC Nuclear waste continues to present a major problem facing the United States today and it has become an issue on which I've focused much of my attention since becoming a senator. As you may know, I've recently introduced a variety of bills aimed at making the disposal of nuclear waste safer by using technology already in use in other countries. For years, Congress has marched down a path toward deep geological storage of high-level nuclear waste. The site has been narrowed to Nevada and two other western states. This plan is costly and some have questioned it's safety. Consequently, I'm pushing legislation to study the feasibility of reprocessing and to allow the waste remaining to cool off for about 50 years for safer handling. I'm also proposing legislation specifically aimed at some of the transportation problems associated with nuclear waste. I testified before the Subcommittee on Nuclear Regulation June 3, and encouraged members to address at least three parts of the transportation issue. First of all, we need to give our local governments a greater role in the choice of transportation routes, and better advance notification. There is simply no excuse for keeping them in the dark. A bill I introduced, (S.833), which would allow nuclear waste to be routed so that it avoids our cities, is pending before the Nuclear Regulation Subcommittee. CONTACT: Mike Miller (202) 224-6244 Second, we must examine the safety of the packages used to transport nuclear waste and make it clear that these materials are only to be transported in containers approved by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. It makes sense to have only one agency determining what is a safe package and what isn't. Third, we should look for ways to reduce the number of waste shipments made by the federal government. Waste could be consolidated and cooled before transportation. We should also encourage transportation of waste by rail, instead of using more numerous truck shipments on our highways. Congress needs to deal realistically with nuclear waste and do it now! It would not be wise to sit back and wait until a repository site has been selected. The United States is the only nation in the world planning to store high-level nuclear waste permanently underground. Other nations either reprocess their waste or store it above ground so they can reprocess it later. Nevadans, and all Americans would be better off if the "politics" of nuclear waste opposition were put aside and instead, Congress should consider some sensible solutions to the transportation and storage of high-level nuclear waste. The time has come for politicians to stop trying to fan public fears about nuclear waste. Hysteria ignores the issue. We need to face-up to it. UNITED STATES SENATE WASHINGTON, D.C. 20510-2802 PUBLIC DOCUMENT OFFICIAL BUSINESS U